Surah 6 (Al-Anam) 54-73 - Rejecting Sign-rejectors

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Jun 29 05 7:35 PM

Verse 54 recalls, according to an Islamic tradition, an occasion on which some men came to Muhammad expressing both their desire to become Muslims and their suspicion that they, being terrible sinners, would not make very good Muslims. As the text says, they were accepted, and were instructed to repent if they fell short. The statement that "Your Lord has prescribed Mercy for himself" was previously stated in 6:12. The difference between the tone here, and the tone taken by Muhammad at various events in his career, is stunning.

Then the text returns to generalized statements about the Signs of Allah, and about Muhammads rejection of paganism, and about Allahs worthiness to be worshiped. In verses 57-58, Muhammad tells the sign-seekers that he does not have what they are impatiently asking for. Verse 58 repeats the gist of v. 8.

Verse 59, which describes the omniscience of Allah, is a particularly well-known verse. Although the Quran plainly states that Muhammad made no claim to know the unseen (in 6:50) and that only Allah has such knowledge, some hadith persist in which Muhammad claims otherwise: "The keys of the treasures of the earth were brought to me and were given in my hand" (Bukhari, Muslim Vol. 2, p. 116). Inconsistencies such as this one have resulted in quite a broad spectrum of views about Muhammad: some Muslims say he is just a messenger of Allah, not superior to the prophet Jonah (and this seems to be the perspicuously stated view in the Quran) while others exalt him. (An easy way to tell one group from the other is to see if they celebrate Muhammads birthday or not.) The description of grain in v. 59 is sometimes taken as an illustration of kernels of faith (or unfaithfulness) in an individuals heart which may eventually sprout. (This is comparable to the imagery in the Parable of the Sower.)

Verses 60-62 describe Allahs power over death and resurrection. Theres an allusion here to guardian angels, and to a special group of angels who collect the souls of those who die. More will be said about them later, God willing.

Then the text appeals to the Meccans by reminding them that, in the past, Allah answered their cries for help when they were in a storm at sea. Notice the parallels between verses 63-65 and Psalm 107:25-43. Both texts describe deliverance and mention a rescue from a storm at sea, followed by descriptions of God's/Allahs ability to reward and punish, with an appeal to the reader to consider these things to gain understanding.

Verses 66-67 intimate the frustration that Muhammad felt after most of the Meccans firmly rejected him: the sentiment of his statement is not too far from the expression, "I have had it with you!" The phrase "I am not a Wakil [guardian] over you" occurs several times in the Quran.

The first part of verse 68 is what was mentioned in 4:140 instructions to avoid conversations in which Muhammads recitations are mocked. The tradition attached to this verse is interesting: when the message was given to avoid those who mock Islam, some Muslims in Mecca objected that if they obeyed, they would have to stay away from the Kaaba.

Then the next verse, stating that it was permissible to remain with mockers for the purpose of reminding them of Allahs truth, was "revealed." Verse 68 is interesting for another reason, too: it seems to allow for the possibility that Satan will cause Muhammad to forget this command. Some Muslim scholars view this as a statement which was really meant to be applied to the listeners rather than to Muhammad. Since 4:140 re-instituted the initial command in 6:68, one may observe that (a) the command to avoid mockers was "revealed," and then (b) an extensive qualification was "revealed," and later (c) the qualification was withdrawn, or abrogated (in 4:140).

In v. 70, Muhammad is instructed to avoid those who do not take their religion seriously, /and/ to remind them about the Day of Judgment. This verse also seems to confirm that there will be no intercessor on Judgment Day except Allah. The next two verses pursue the idea that Allah is the only being worthy to be called upon for divine help.

Verse 73 is a beautiful verse; there is nothing here that could not be ascribed to the God of the Bible. A lot of it /is/ in the Bible: "He has created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1:1, Nehemiah 9:6. "He says, Be and it is" Romans 4:17b. "His Word is truth" Psalm 119:142, John 17:17 ("Thy word is truth."). "The kingdom will be His when the trumpet is blown" Luke 13:29, Matthew 24:31, First Corinthians 15:52. "He knows all that is seen and unseen" Isaiah 40:28, 66:18. "He is all-wise" Romans 16:27. The Ahmadiyya sect tends to reject the literal meaning of the phrase about the trumpet, and gives it a figurative spin.